One has a ticket to ride: Royals use the London Tube

The last time Prince Charles took the London Underground, the driver wore a peaked cap. But decades after that journey, the prince renewed his acquaintance with the rail network that moves three million of his fellow Londoners every day, celebrating the Tube's 150st anniversary. ITV's Damon Green reports.

By Alastair Jamieson, Staff writer, NBC News

All forms of human life can be spotted traveling on London’s underground ‘Tube’ network, but there was a rare appearance Wednesday by Britain’s Prince Charles and his wife, Camilla.

Unlike most commuters on the creaking system, the Royal couple were able to find a seat for their one-stop journey, because the train was empty, according to BBC reporter Peter Hunt.

The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall, as the pair are formally known, traveled one stop westbound from Farringdon to Kings Cross.

It is the first time Charles has used the Tube in 33 years, according to the Daily Telegraph. The last time was in April 1979 when he opened the first stage of the then-new Jubilee line.

The royals were presented with special commemorative Oyster swipe cards by staff to use to open turnstiles at each end of their journey.

The cards were each loaded electronically to the value of £10, Hunt reported. However, neither needed to pay as everyone over the age of 60 is entitled to free travel on public transportation in London.

@bbcpeterhunt @drearyagent Unless he's on it at 8am, he will still have no idea. "Experiencing" the tube at 11am is cheating.

At Kings Cross, the couple returned above ground to the main line station where they saw a plaque marking ‘Platform 9 and ¾’ – the fictitious departure point for the Hogwarts Express in the Harry Potter novels.